Chapter 2 - Part 4 - Qualities And Drawbacks - Section C
Chaos Power NPC's This power makes things go to pot around the character. Items wear out, tempers frazzle, friendships dissolve, memories grow spotty, etc. Depending on how you are playing things, it may affect everything, or just certain stuff (like a Vengeance Demon specialization). Also, the speed of the degradation must be determined. A gun that misfires when it comes near the character reveals a quick acting power; a power that rusts a gun a day or so after it kills the Chaos Power character is not going to be so helpful. This power is not recommended for Cast Members, but might provide an interesting challenge for more adventuresome roleplayers. Clown 1-POINT DRAWBACK Wise guy, eh? The Clown refuses to take things seriously and is always coming up with jokes and wisecracks, even at the most inappropriate moments. Perhaps your character is deeply insecure and tries to gain other people’s acceptance through humor, or she simply delights in keeping folks off-balance with her comments. The biggest problem these characters have is that they cannot keep their mouths shut even when they know a joke will only work against them. Clowns are generally accepted and liked during situations where their quirky humor is not out of place (parties and other social gatherings, or among friends). Their sense of humor gets them in trouble during tense and dangerous situations. Another problem the Clown faces is people often do not take her seriously even when they should. Contacts 1-POINT/LEVEL QUALITY You know the routine - make a phone call to the right people and you get information, special supplies, some cash, or even the proper demon-fricasseeing implement. This Quality gives your character those phone numbers. The more helpful the contact is, the higher the Quality's point value. Your Director determines whether your character's Contacts are available at any given time (no, they're not waiting around for his call despite the kind of regular scratch it takes to keep them talking). Generally, the more time your character has to reach or get word to his Contacts, the more likely they come through. Contacts could be anyone with the inside track in their area (or anyone who at least claims to have the inside track). Still, if you are using the organization rules from Chapter Five: Cabals, Covens, and Agencies, the key thing here is the area. You should pick a sphere of influence for your character's Contacts from the following: Criminal, Financial, Governmental, or Supernatural. Some suggestions are listed below. Criminal: Stoolie, local dive bartender, "made" man, Tong gang member, fence, high-priced cat burglar. Financial: Stock broker, banker, money manager, large corporate office worker, software mogul. Governmental: Beat cop, detective, Federal or state agent, bureaucrat, academician, politician. Supernatural: Magician, vampire, demon, proprietor of the local demon bar, oracle. Contacts and Clout work hand in hand when they are in same sphere - you get to add your organization's applicable Clout to any Influence rolls made when "discussing" matters with your Contacts. Contacts that only provide hints, rumors, or gossip costs one point. If the Contacts usually convey reliable information and help the character out in small ways (offering a ride, letting him spend the night over, or getting a background check on somebody), this Quality sets you back two points. Actual allies who help the character in any way they can run three to five points, depending on the Contacts' resources. Cop/Detective/Ex-Cop/Ex-Detective If you're in law enforcement, you get to say all the cool lines like "Just the facts, ma'am," "I like this perp for the Jones murder," and that timeless phrase, "Freeze scumbag!" Plus you get to call for backup (although so many movie cops never bother), flash a badge, and carry a gun. On the down side, the pay's bad and you can get killed on the job. Now, don't get us wrong, life-threatening is part and parcel of being any kind of demon hunter. It's just that being a cop adds a whole bunch of mundane (guns, knives, hit and runs) ways of dying to the mix. If your Director is using the organizational rules in Chapter Five: Cabals, Covens, and Agencies, and has stat-ed out the local police force, your character should get some major Influence roll bonuses for the precinct's Governmental Clout. Still, that's not going to apply in all circumstances - politicians ain't overly intimidated by cops and some agencies resent police intervention. Law enforcement types get a +1 to any physical Attribute (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution; guess that time at the Academy paid off) and a +1 bonus to the Crime, Driving, and Gun-Fu Skills. They also have the authority of the law behind them (not to mention that they get to carry a gun). With reasonable suspicion (any particularly rational explanation that a neutral party would buy), they can stop cars, search people, detain suspects, and other nifty things. With probable cause (a reasonable basis to believe that criminal activity has occurred), they can arrest someone and haul them off to the station. Whether such suspicion or cause exists is a question that keeps many attorneys and judges in full employment. If the judge says your character blew it, the perp goes free (and you might be in for some discipline too). Cop 5-POINT QUALITY A basic beat Cop law enforcement Quality costs five points. His legal authority (worth two points) is balanced by a one-point Obligation (Important) to the force. Detective 8-POINT QUALITY Detectives are a bit higher up the totem pole than Cops. They get a two-point Contacts (Governmental or Criminal) Quality kicker. They also have a two-point Rank Quality but their Obligation Drawback increases to Major. All told, the Detective Quality costs eight points. Ex-Cop/Ex-Detective 4-POINT QUALITY/5-POINT QUALITY On the other hand, if your character abuses his authority, he can get in trouble - there are bosses to answer to if he does anything wrong. Break too many rules, and the lieutenant is going to ask for his gun and his badge. At that point, your character becomes ex-law enforcement, with all the skills of a normal police officer (and the Contacts for a detective who hasn't burned his bridges) but none of the authority. Ex-law enforcement types usually have a lot more attitude, but there's no shortage of that among the regular maverick cops (at least on TV and in the movies). If your character is one of the ex, this Quality drops by one point to a 4-point quality (authority goes but so does the Obligation) for the Cop, and three points (Rank lost too) for the Detective. Covetous 1- TO 3-POINT DRAWBACK Everybody wants stuff. A Covetous character wants stuff really badly, and will do almost anything to get it. She may be motivated by love of money, lust for sensual satisfaction, hunger for power, or the search for glory. Whatever she desires, she will do almost anything to get it, limited only by any sense of caution or morality she may have—and in some cases, not even by that. A Covetous character usually refrains from breaking her own moral code or the laws of the land in the pursuit of her goals, but if a golden opportunity presents itself, the temptation may just be too great. There are four types of covetousness: Greed (money and wealth), Lechery (sexual relations), Ambition (power and influence), and Conspicuousness (fame and renown). It is possible to covet two or more of those things, but each additional source of desire adds but a single point to the value of this Drawback. The Covetous Drawback has three levels of severity, worth one, two and three points respectively. MILD: The first level is relatively mild. Your character knows what she wants and she spends a great deal of time and effort to attain her goals, but she won’t break her own rules or those of society to do so. This is a 1-point Drawback. SERIOUS: The second level is stronger—presented with enough temptation, your character may act even if it goes against her better judgment or morality. She may resist if the action she contemplates is truly wrong and reprehensible—stealing credit for a heroic deed performed by a friend, for example—but resisting requires a Willpower (doubled) roll, at a penalty of -1 to -3 if the temptation and possible rewards are great. This is a 2-point Drawback. DESPERATE: The third level is the strongest—a desire so strong that it often overwhelms any scruples your character may have. When presented with temptation, she can only avoid acting by making a Willpower roll, with penalties ranging from -1 to -5 depending on the size of the prize. For a high enough reward, your character will turn on friends or loved ones, and even betray her principles. This is a 3-point Drawback. Criminal/Wise Guy 2- OR 3-POINT QUALITY Crime doesn't pay, but try telling this bloke that. Your character can be a suave expert safecracker and second story man, or an angry mob enforcer looking for revenge - basically anybody involved in shady deals and illegal shenanigans. Criminals get +1 to any Attribute (Intelligence, Perception, or Willpower for the thinking-type criminals, Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution for the brawnover-brain types), +1 to the Crime Skill (naturally), and +1 to a skill related to their criminal career. A getaway driver, for example, would get a +1 to his Driving Skill, a cat-burglar would use his bonus on Acrobatics, a leg-breaker would put it into Kung Fu, and a Merry Man would put it into Getting Medieval or Wild Card (Bow). On the down side, Criminals have poor impulse control when it comes to money. They have to make a Willpower (doubled) roll whenever the opportunity for a fast buck presents itself - for example, taking time off to ransack a demon's lair instead of watching out for, say, demons. Your Director can add penalties to this roll, depending on the amount of loot available - no penalty for a few hundred bucks, -1 for several thousand dollars, -2 for over $10K, -3 for over $100K, and -5 for a really big score (a million dollars or more). The biggest down side is hard time in the slammer. That puts a huge crimp in demon hunting activities, not to mention living a normal life (other than that whole monster and assorted paranormal biz). Wise Guys are basically Criminals with connections. They gain a two-point Contacts (Criminal) Quality as well as a one-point Obligation (Important) to their syndicate. If your Director is using the organizational rules in Chapter Five: Cabals, Covens, and Agencies, and has stat-ed out the local family, your character should get some major Influence roll bonuses for the mob's Criminal Clout. Still, that's only going to apply in certain circumstances - members of rival organizations aren't going to kow-tow much. 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